On 7 October 2019, in Colombo, UNDP Sri Lanka organized the inaugural Responsible Business and Human Rights National Dialogue in close cooperation with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, and the National Global Compact Network. 

In attendance were 10 representatives from CSOs, 30 business representatives, and 15 officers from govt and multilateral organizations. The following report provides a detailed account of the conversations that took place during this dialogue, as a means of measuring where Sri Lanka’s business community is with regards to its understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and where it might go in the pursuit of greater alignment. In this way, the inaugural National Dialogue and this report serves as a baseline for which future progress against the framework of the UNGPs can be measured.